Vulcanizing press



Feb., E0, i942. R. w. ALLEN VULCANIZING PRESS Filed Feb. 6, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet l lll lll" wie-- ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1942.

R. w. ALLEN 2,272,887

VULCANIZING PRESS ."5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1959 ATTORNEYS Feb,w, w42. R W ALLEN l 2,272,827

VULCANIZING PRESS ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 10, 1942 VULCANIZING PRESSRaymond W. Allen, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Firestone Tire & RubberCompany, Akron Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 6, 1939,Serial No. 254,837

' (ci. 1li-17) 4 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to vulcanizing presses, and more especially itrelates to vulcanizing vpresses of the watchcase type comprisingseparable sections that have a horizontally disposed meeting plane.

Vulcanizing presses of the character mentioned usually have a stationarylower head or section, and a movable upper head or cover that is movablerelatively of the lower head to achieve the opening and closing of thepress. It has been proposed to raise and lower the cover by means of apair of axially movable vertical rods or screws, the cover beingpivotally connected on a diametric axis to the upper ends of said rodsor screws. The arrangement makes it possible for the cover to separatefrom the lower head while in parallelism therewith, and also to moveinto engagement with the lower head while in the same position,

I I. The medial portion of the bed plate is substantially square inplan, as shown in Figure 2, and is provided with laterally extendingjournal portions Ila, IIa that rest upon the supporting structures Ill,and are cored out to provide vertical passages I2 therethrough, whichpassages are co-axial with relation to the respective pedestal supportsI0. The top face of the bed plate I I is formed on a portion of its areawith a transverse slideway I4 in which is slidabl'y mounted -a cam plateI5, said cam plate having a cam slot I6 formed therein. Said cam slot I6is of angular profile, having oiset parallel end portions connected byan oblique intermediate portion, said end portions being parallel to theslideway I4.

means being provided for tilting the cover on its diametric axis, whenin its fully elevated position,

` to facilitate the cleaning and lubricating of the mold section in saidcover. With the cover in this position, however, the lower mold sectionand work therein is not as accessible as desired.

The chief object of the invention is to provide avulcanizing press ofthe character mentioned, wherein the lower moldsection will have greateraccessibility in the open position of the press. More specically, theinvention aims to provide for the movement of the lower press head to aposition of greater accessibility during the opening of the press.Another object of the invention is to provide in an improved manner forthe attaching of the mold sections of the press to the respective headsthereof. Other objects will be manifest as the description proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a vulcanizing press4embodying the invention, in closed position, a part thereof being shownin front elevation;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure `line 'I-'l of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an apparatus comprising a pairof hollow, laterally "spaced, pedestal supporting structures I0, I0 uponthe top of which is mounted a heavy bed plate Said bed plate vII alsohas its top face formed with a fore and aft dovetail slideway I8 that isdisposed at a higher level than the slideway I4 and is interrupted bythe latter, the bottom oi slideway I8 being substantially flush with thetop of cam plate I5. Slidably mounted in slideway I8 is a dovetaillslide I9 that has a cam roller 20 swivelled to its bottom face, said camroller being disposed within cam slot I6 of the slidable plate I5. Thearrangement is such that longitudinal movement of the cam plate I5 willcause a fore and aft movement of the slide I9, the extent of saidmovement being clearly shown in Figure 3 wherein the extreme forward andrearward positions of the slide are shown in full lines and broken linesrespectively. In actual practice the extent of this movement is aboutsix inches.

The top ofthe slide I9 is formed with a relatively large annular boss orraised portion, and mounted thereon is an annular metal diaphragm 2 I,the periphery of which is secured to the margin of the boss in anair-tight manner, as by being welded thereto. Mounted upon the diaphragm2l is a circular piston 22 of somewhat smaller diameter than thediaphragm, the inner circumference of the diaphragm being welded tofflanges 24 to enable the piston 22 to move vertically an appreciabledistance relatively of the slide I9. At the rear of the press the slideI9 yis formed with a duct 26 through which pressure fluid is dischargedinto the space beneath the diaphragm 2I tovlift the latter and thepiston 22 thereon, the outer end of duct 26 being connected by afiexible pipe 21, Figure 4, with a suitable source of pressure fluid(not shown). The movement of the piston is utilized for effecting aclose mating of the mold sections of the press in the closed oroperative position thereof.

The upper and lower press heads are of the type that comprise matingmold sections, which sections consist solely of the cavity portions ofthe mold, and said cavity portions are assembled with respective jacketstructures in such a manner as to define chambers therebetween, whichchambers receive the steam that heats the mold sections. The lower presshead comprises an annular jacket portion 30 and an annular mold orcavity portion 3|, which portions have sealed engagement with each otherat their inner and outer circumferences, and define a steam charnber 32therebetween. Similarly the upper press head or cover comprises a jacketportion 33 and mold or cavity portion 34 that define an interveningsteam chamber 35. The press is provided with the usual piping forcirculating steam through the steam chambers 32 and 35, only portions ofsaid piping being shown in the drawings. Thus in Figure 3 the steamoutlet from chamber 35 of the upper head is shown at 36 and the steaminlet to the lower head is shown at 31. In Figure 7 is shown the steaminlet 31 and outlet 38 of the lower head.

The jacket portion 30 of the lower press head is removably secured tothe piston 22, concentrically thereof, by means of cap screws or thelike, whereby the lower press head is subject to the lateral movementof. translation of the slide I9 and the axial movement of the piston 22.The jacket portion 33 of the upper press head or cover is pivotallysupported upon a diametrically arranged, transverse shaft 40, and saidshaft is supported in horizontal position by a pair of axially movablevertical posts 4I, 4I that are disposed at opposite sides of the press,the opposite ends of the shaft being pivotally mounted in respectiveclevises 42 that are mounted upon the upper ends of said posts 4I. Themajor portion of each post 4I. upwardly from the lower end thereof, isformed with a screw thread 43, the latter having threaded engagementwith an elongated nut 44 through which the post extends. Each nut 44 hasa flange portion 44a that is disposed within the vertical passage I2 ina journal portion IIa of the bed plate II, and a portion extendingupwardly from said flange and journaled in a nut housing 45 mounted atopof said bed plate. Immediately below the flange 44a, within said passageI2, each nut 44 has a worm gear 4B mounted thereon, there being a thrustbearing 41 mounted between the lower side of the worm gear and the topof a pedestal support III. The arrangement ls such that concurrentrotation of the worm gears 46 will turn the nuts 44 and thus raise orlower the posts 4I and thereby raise or lower the upper head of thepress. Located in the bottom of each pedestal support I is a cup 48 inwhich the lower end of a post 4I `is receivable in the lowermostposition of the latter, said cup .being yieldingly supported upon acircumscribing compression spring 43. The arrangement cushions theclosing movement of the cover of the press.

Rotation of the worm gears 43 is effected by means of respective worms Ithat are meshed therewith, said worms being mounted upon opposite endsof a shaft 52 that is disposed transverselr of the press below the bedplate Il, and

journaled at its end in suitable bearings located in the journalportions I Ia of said bed plate. The' shaft 52 is driven by means of areversible electric motor 53 that is mounted on the under side of thebed plate I I and has driving connection with the shaft 52 through theagency of sprocket chains 54. A simple switch (not shown) is providedfor closing the electrical circuit that includes the motor 53, forsetting said motor in operation. The motor is stopped automaticallyafter making a determinate number of revolutions sufficient to raise thepress cover to fully elevated position, or to lower it completelytherefrom, and for so stopping the motor, a limit switch (not shown) ofknown or desired construction is employed. Said limit switch is enclosedwithin a receptacle 54 carried by a bracket 55 secured to the under sideof bed plate II, and is operated by a driven shaft 56 having a spiralgear 51 on an end thereof, which spiral gear meshes with a similarspiral gear 58 on the shaft 52.

Below the slideway I4 the top of the bed plate I I is formed with anelongated recess 60 that extends parallel to said slideway, andpositioned in said recess is a feed screw 6| that is journaled at itsend portions in suitable bearings in said bed plate. At one vof its ends(the left end as viewed in Figure 2), the screw 6I extends into therecess I2 of the bed plate portion IIa, and is provided therein with agear 62 that is meshed with a driving pinion 63, the latter beingmounted upon shaft 52 beside worm 5I. The feed screw 6I is threadedthrough a nut 64 that is secured to the under side of cam plate I5, thearrangement being such that said cam plate is moved back and forth asthe motor 53 is driven in one direction or another. Movement of the camplate I5 effects a fore and aft movement of the slide I9 as previouslyexplained. The cam I6 is so shaped that forward movement of the slidedoes not begin until the rising posts 4I have lifted the upper head orcover of the press sumciently to be clear of .a tire casing 65 that isin the lower mold section 3l of the press.

The tire i5 remains in the lower mold section 'of the press because theupper mold section 34 is cleaned and soaped or otherwise lubricatedafter each vulcanization. To facilitate the cleaning and lubricating ofthe upper mold section, the upper head or cover is tilted on itsdiametric axis, in the fully open condition of the press, which tiltingfurther elevates the front of the cover, and depresses the rear thereof.Forso tilting the cover a lost motion connection is provided, whichconnection is attached to the rear of the cover and to a fixed point atthe rear of the bed plate Il. Said connection comprises a tubular sleeve61 that is pivotally connected at its upper end to a bracket 68 mountedupon the jacket member 33 at the rear thereof. 'I'he lower end of thesleeve is closed except for a restricted axial opening through whichslidably extends a rod G9. The end of the rod 69 within the sleeve 51 isprovided with a head 10 of larger size than said axial opening,/so asnot to pass therethrough. The outer end of rod 69 is pivotally connectedto a bracket 1I mounted on the rear margin of bed plate II. The head 10of rod 63 has an axial movement of about eight inches within sleeve 61,which movement constitutes a lost motion that enables the upper head orcover of the press to move axially of the lower head thereof for adistance of eight inches while in parallelism with said lower head. Thisoccurs during the initial opening movement and final closing movement ofthe press, and achieves the desirable function of obviating pinching ordislocating the work in the press. When the cover is at a greaterdistance from the lower head, the lost motion connection describedeffects a tilting of the cover such as is illustrated in full lines inFigure 3.

During vulcanization of the tire 65, the latter is subjected to internalexpanding pressure and heat that is applied to the tire through theagency of an expansible core 13 that it confined therein. The said coreis provided with the usual inilating stem 14 through which steam orother heated fluid is discharged into the interior of the core. Heatedfluid for distending the core 13 is conducted thereto through a pipe 15,and the upper jacket member 33 and lower jacket member 38 are providedwith respective co-operating connections 15, 11 that automaticallycouple the stem 14 to the pipe 15 in the closed condition of the press,as. shown in Figure 1. Said connections automatically are disengagedfrom the stem as the press opens. The pipe 15 extends to a suitablesource of heated pressure uid (not shown) and is provided with suitablecontrol means (not shown) that are operable manually by the operator.

For. lifting the finished tire 65, with core 13 therein, from themolding cavity of the lower mold section 3|, the usual bead-engagingring 19 is provided, which ring seats in a suitable recess in said moldsection 3| underlying the bead of the tire therein. Said ring 19 is inthe form of a disc, as is best shown in Figure 7, and at its axis isconnected to the upper end of a piston rod 80 of a uid pressure operatedcylinder 8|, the latter being mounted upon the piston 22. The cylinder8| is provided with an inlet and outlet pipe 8 2 connecting with asuitable source of pressure fluid (not shown), the admission of uid tothe cylinder being under the control of the operator.

The press also includes improved and simplified means by which the moldsections 3|, 34 are secured and retained in the jacket members 30, 33,said means being best shown in Figure 6. As shown therein, each moldsection and its companion jacket member are formed with suitablecircumferential shoulders, at the periphery of said mold sections, whichshoulders denne intervening annular recesses in which suitable packingmaterial 84 is mounted.. Similar packing 85 is positioned between themold sections and the jacket members at the inner circumference thereof,as shown in Figure 1, with the result that the steam chambers in therespective press heads are iiuid-tight. The confronting faces of themold sections 3|, 34 are beveled at 88, at the periphery of saidsections, and the inner face of each jacket member 38 and 33 is formedwith a circumferential groove orrecess 81, contiguous with the bevel 86of the companion mold section, said groove consisting of two faces thatmeet at right angles. Mounted in each groove 81 is a split ring 88 thatis square in section, one face thereof overlying the bevel 83 of themold section in the jacket member for retaining the mold sectiontherein. Being split,

the rings 88 readily are partly collapsed and4 sprung into place intheir grooves 81. For retaining the rings in said grooves, respectivekeys or inserts 89 are mounted between the ends of each ring, said keysbeing secured to the jacket members by suitable cap screws. Similarretaining rings 98, 90 are interposed between the size or design mayrequire.

mold sections 3|, 34 and the respective jacket members 30, 33 at theinner circumference thereof.

For facilitating the accurate angular positioning of the mold sections3|, 34 relatively of each other so that they meet properly in the closedoperative position of the press, a key or metal block 9| is secured tothe top face of lower mold section 3|,y and the lower face of upper moldsection 34 is formed with a slot or recess 92 in which said key 9| isreceivable. The lateral faces of key 9| may be somewhat sloped, as shownin Figure 7, to facilitate entrance of the key into the recess 92.

The invention provides in a simple manner for the securing of the moldsections in the press, whereby said mold sections readily may be removedand replaced as alterations or change of The press heads andy moldsections are conveniently presented in the open position of the press,both for the removal and mounting of work therein, and for the cleaningand lubricating of the upper mold section. The use of the screw-postsfor elevating and lowering the upper press head makes for safety, sincesaid head cannot accidentally fall and injure the operator. The use ofspringsupported cups beneath the screw-posts assures that the press willclose without jars or jolts.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a press of the character described, the combination of a pair ofhorizontally disposed upper and lower press heads of which the latter ismovable in a horizontal plane, a pair of axially movable posts atopposite sides of the press pivotally supporting the upper press head ona diametric axis, cam means in operative engagement with the lower presshead and adapted to move the same laterally in its own plane, and asingle power instrumentality for axially moving said posts and foroperating said cam.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the cam means is ahorizontally slidable plate having a cam-slot formed therein.

3. A press of the character described, comprising a bed plate formedwith a transverse slideway, and with a fore and aft slideway at a higherelevation than said transverse slideway and interrupted by the latter, acam-plate in said transverse slideway formed with a camslot, a slide insaid fore and aft slideway, a cam roller carried by said slide andengaged in said cam slot, and means for moving said camplatelongitudinally of the transverse slideway to effect a fore and aftmovement of the slide.

4. A press of the character described comprising a bed plate formed witha transverse slideway and with a fore and aft slideway at a higherelevation than said transverse slideway.l a camplate in said transverseslideway formed with a cam slot, a slide in said fore and aft slideway,a cam roller carried by said slide and engaged in said cam slot, a pairof opposed press heads of which the lower press head is carried by saidslide, a pair of longitudinally movable posts that carry the upper presshead, and a single power unit operatively connected to said post andsaid cam plate adapted to eifect longitudinal movement of said'posts andlongitudinal movement of said cam-plate in its slideway.

RAYMOND w. ALLEN.

